The present invention relates to a game system and the information storage medium.
Role-playing and action games have complicated stories. During play of a game, a plurality of alternatives are provided. Various developments of the game will be provided depending on the selection of the player. However, there are many days required to play all these developments of the game.
The game information is saved not only when the game is to be temporarily terminated but also when the player wants to save the game information at any point by way of caution. If the game information has been saved at an important or turning point during game play, the player can restart the game at the desired point by selecting it. Thus, the player can obtain a better development of the game by replaying the game from any other point different from the save point or in any different development of the game.
When the saved game information (which will be referred to xe2x80x9csaved dataxe2x80x9d) is to be loaded, the date on which the game information was saved and so on are displayed. The player selects any saved data to be loaded according to the displayed information. However, if the plural contents of the game have been saved, it is often difficult for the player to remember the saved contents of the game information or the state in which the game information was saved. If the player is to replay the game at the latest saving point, there is no problem. However, if the player is to replay the game at any particular point, the player may often waver in selection of the saved game contents.
It may be considered that characters are accessorily used to represent temporal and geographic information relating to the game space when the game contents were saved. This may facilitate the selection of the game information to be loaded.
However, only use of the characters does not provide any strong impact to the player. Therefore, it is still difficult that the player remember the contents and states of the saved game information.
The present invention is devised in the light of the above described problem, and has as an objective thereof the provision of a game system and information storage medium in which a player can easily grasp the contents and states of the saved data on the data saving.
(1) According to the present invention, there is provided a game system for playing a game by loading desired saved data selected from items of saved data, the game system comprising:
image generation means which generates a saved-contents reminder image including at least one of a scene and a character which remind a player of contents of the saved data or a game state on the data saving; and
output means which outputs the saved-contents reminder image when a player selects the saved data to be loaded.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a computer-usable program embodied on an information storage medium or in a carrier wave, the program comprising information (or program) for implementing (or executing) the above described means. A computer-readable information storage medium according to the present invention comprises information (or a program) for implementing (executing) the above described means.
The saved-contents reminder image may be generated as a still image or as a dynamic image.
The time when the player selects the saved data to be loaded may be one when a load selection screen is displayed, for example. A plurality of saved-contents reminder images may be displayed at the same time. The saved-contents reminder images may be displayed individually.
The saved data generally contains game data from which the game can be restarted from the state on the data saving. The game data may include positional and temporary parameters representing a save point, parameters relating to a character on the data saving, or numerical values required for the game computation of acquired items, scores and so on.
The state on the data saving may include a location, a state of a character, a degree of growth of a character, a objective situation showing whether or not the game situation is advantageous for the player, and so on.
According to the present invention, the saved-contents reminder image which reminds the player of the contents of the saved data is displayed when the player is to select the saved data to be loaded. Such a saved-contents reminder image provides a stronger impact to the player in comparison with the prior art in which only letters representing the time and location on the data saving are outputted. Thus, the player can easily remember the contents of the saved data or the game state on the data saving while viewing the saved-contents reminder image.
Therefore, the present invention can provide a game system and information storage medium in which the player can easily grasp the contents of the saved data and the game state on the data saving.
(2) Each of the game system, information storage medium and program according to the present invention may further comprise means which performs a game direction in which at least one of scene and character images in a game space is taken on the data saving, wherein the saved-contents reminder image is generated based on the taken image.
According to the present invention, at least one of a scene and character images in the game space is taken on the data saving. The saved-contents reminder image is generated based on the taken image. Thus, the state on the data saving is linked with that image. The linking leaves a strong impression in the player. The generated saved-contents reminder image can cause the player to easily grasp the contents of the saved data and the state on the data saving.
When the imaging is carried out on the data saving, it adds a further active-element to the saving operation. This makes the game more interesting.
(3) In each of the the game system, information storage medium and program according to the present invention, when the saved-contents reminder image is generated, a direction reflecting a state of the character or the player on the data saving may be performed for at least one of expression or motion of the character, weather or season or time of the scene and contents of background, in the saved-contents reminder image.
The direction reflecting the situation of the character on the data saving on the expression of the character includes the generation of a character image having its troubled, angry or laughing face, for example.
The direction reflecting the situation in which the character has been placed on the data saving may be performed for the weather in a scene, that is, the generation of a scene image representing signs of a coming rain when the character weeps on the data saving or an unclouded sky when the character be pleased, for example.
If the player is in a favorable position on the data saving, an image representing a tree in full bloom may be generated. If the player is not in a favorable position on the data saving, an image having dead trees in the background may be generated.
According to the present invention, a game system and information storage medium in which the player can immediately judge the game state on the data saving from the saved-contents reminder image can be provided by performing a direction reflecting the state of the character or player on the data saving for at least one of the expression or motion of the character, the weather or season or time of the scene and the contents of the background, in the saved-contents reminder image.
Since the saved-contents reminder image modified by the direction reflecting the situation of the character or player on the data saving is displayed, the present invention can provide a game system and information storage medium in which a player is amused by the saved-contents reminder image itself.
(4) Each of the the game system, information storage medium and program according to the present invention may further comprise: storing means which stores information for generating an image displayed on data saving in association with the saved data; and means which generates the image displayed on the data saving as the saved-contents reminder image.
The image displayed on the data saving is an image displayed when a player inputs a save command, for example. Data necessary for generating such an image includes image data stored in a frame buffer when the player inputs the save command, for example.
The image displayed on the data saving is not limited to a still image, and may be a dynamic image. For example, images of a plurality of frames may be saved and used to generate an animated saved-contents reminder image.
Sounds outputted on the data saving, such as character voices, BGM, sound effects and so on, may be saved and later outputted together with the saved-contents reminder image.
According to the present invention, the image displayed on data saving can be outputted as a saved-contents reminder image. Thus, the game state on the data saving can make a stronger appeal to the player. As a result, the present invention can provide a game system and information storage medium in which the game state on the data saving can easily be grasped by the player.
(5) In each of the the game system, information storage medium and program according to the present invention, the saved-contents reminder image containing an item possessed by a player""s character on the data saving may be generated.
According to the present invention, since an item possessed by the player""s character can be included in the saved-contents reminder image, a game system and information storage medium wherein the player can grasp the contents of the saved data getting a clue from that item can be provided.
(6) Each of the the game system, information storage medium and program according to the present invention may further comprise: means for generating a saved-contents reminder sound including at least one of sound effects, BGM and character voice which remind the player of the contents of the saved data or the game state on the data saving; and output means which outputs the saved-contents reminder sound when the player selects the saved data to be loaded.
Sounds which remind the player of the contents of the saved data or the game state on the data saving include, for example, a sound of the sea if the location on the data saving is a seashore, a sound of wind if a strong wind is blowing, and a cry of an animal if it exists near the character.
According to the present invention, since the saved-contents reminder sound is outputted when the player selects the saved data to be loaded, a game system and information storage medium in which the game state on the data saving can easily be grasped by hearing can be obtained.
Timing when the saved-contents reminder sound is outputted may be either of when a cursor is positioned on any item in the corresponding saved data or when the item of the corresponding saved data is selected.
(7) The present invention further provides a game system in which desired saved data is selected from items of saved data and loaded, the game system comprising:
generating means which generates a saved-contents reminder sound containing at least one of sound effects, BGM and character voices that remind a player of contents of the saved data or a game state on the data saving; and
output means which outputs the saved-contents reminder sound when the player selects the saved data to be loaded.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a computer-usable program embodied on an information storage medium or in a carrier wave, the program comprising information (or program) for implementing (or executing) the above described means. A computer-readable informatin storage medium according to the present invention comprises information (or a program) for implementing (executing) the above described means.
Sounds which remind the player of the contents of the saved data or the game state on the data saving includes a sound of the sea if the location on the data saving is a seashore, a sound of wind if a strong wind is blowing, and a cry of an animal if it exists near the character, for example. Moreover, such sounds may be a sound that is characteristic of the character on the data saving.
According to the present invention, since the saved-contents reminder sound is outputted when the player selects the saved data to be loaded, a game system and information storage medium in which the game state on the data saving can easily be grasped by hearing can be obtained.
Timing when the saved-contents reminder sound is outputted may be either of when a cursor is positioned on any item in the corresponding saved data or when the item of the corresponding saved data is selected.
(8) In each of the the game system, information storage medium and program according to the present invention, the saved-contents reminder image or the saved-contents reminder sound may be generated based on a parameter of the character on the data saving.
The parameters of the character includes variables representing the strength, compatibility, growth or the like of the character, and these variables are used in the game computation. If the strength of the character is low, the saved-contents reminder image is generated to include an image of a weedy character, and if the compatibility is high, the saved-contents reminder image is generated to include a pink-colored background or a background with a heart mark, for example.
By generating the saved-contents reminder image based on the parameters, the image can remind the player of the state of the character on the data saving, since the parameters are variable depending on the game situation of the character.
(9) Each of the the game system, information storage medium and program according to the present invention may further comprise: edition means which enables the player to edit at least one of the saved-contents reminder image and the saved-contents reminder sound on the data saving.
In such an arrangement, the player can edit at least one of the saved-contents reminder image and the saved-contents reminder sound in the saved data when the player saves the game data.
The edition of the saved-contents reminder image includes combination of partial images, selection of favorable images, and modification of the color, pattern or background of images, for example. The edition of the saved-contents reminder sound includes selection or combination of the character voices, BGM and sound effects, for example.
If the player edits the saved-contents reminder image on sound, the edited image or sound can provide a stronger impression to the player, so that the player can more easily remind the contents of the saved data.